Essay On Deaf Culture

1. Which group did you choose? Why did you pick that group?
The group I chose is the Deaf culture. I picked this group because before I began my research, I knew little to nothing about it. The first thing I read about it, which caught my attention, was that not only people who are deaf are included in the culture. The community may include anyone who identifies with the deaf culture, such as family members and sign-language interpreters (Padden & Humphries 1988).
2. What is the dominant identity of the group?
An important characteristic of the Deaf culture is their way of communication, known as sign language. The sign language in each group may vary, due to the fact that there are over 200 distinct sign languages in the world. In the Deaf

If a person is born deaf, they will immediately find comfort among other deaf people, thus becoming part of the Deaf culture. Another way someone could be part of the culture is if they are related to or close to someone of the Deaf culture. This could affect them immensely and lead them to learn sign language. Sign language, repectively, is the main qualification to be part of the Deaf culture. Without it, one cannot communicate with deaf people, making them less qualified to be part of the community (Baker & Padden, 1978)
6. How do the members distinguish themselves from the rest of society?
The most apparent way the Deaf culture distinguishes itself is by using sign language to communicate. They also rely heavily on technology, such as closed captions or phones in order to communicate with the hearing population as well. Notepads, tablets, phones and such are very important if the person they are communicating with does not know sign language.
7. If the group is for youth, do they “age-out” of the group, or does affiliation continue into adulthood?
Affiliation in the Deaf culture continues throughout their whole lives. Because it is a human characteristic, deaf people would not want to be separated from the community they feel most comfortable